The High Frequency Rail project will be the largest Canadian infrastructure project in generations. Once operational, the rail line will span the Québec City to Toronto corridor with dedicated passenger tracks. This transformational project will provide clean, safe, and efficient travel, drive our economy, and strengthen our partnerships with Indigenous communities.Today, the Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant, Pablo Rodriguez,…
The High Frequency Rail project, the largest Canadian infrastructure project, aims to provide clean, safe and efficient transportation to Canadians while supporting our economic growth and strengthening our Indigenous relations. A major milestone in this project's procurement was reached last February with the launch of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). This was a crucial step towards selecting a private developer…
For the first time in over 20 years, VIA Rail Canada welcomes the first train of a brand-new fleet to serve passengers in the Corridor. On November 8, 2022, Train 33 and 26 saw the very first revenue runs of the new Siemens Venture trainsets between Ottawa and Montreal. Those new trains are fully accessible, and a major upgrade compared to…
On November 8, 2022, VIA Rail introduced into limited service its new rolling stock to replace and modernize its Corridor fleet: the Siemens Venture cars and Charger Locomotive. Join us as we board one of the very first revenue runs of the first trainset and give you a look around the future of passenger rail in Canada. Learn more about VIA…
On November 30, 2021, Rail Fans Canada was invited to VIA Rail's Ottawa Tremblay Station to visit and discover the first brand-new trainset that will be part of the renewed Corridor fleet. Here is our detailed first look and overview of the new trains.BackgroundFollowing the finalization of the contract with Siemens Canada in December 2018, Via Rail and their partners…
Acquired by Via Rail in late 2001, the General Electric P42DC (EPA-42a as their designation, often referred to as "Genesis") are used in the Corridor as one of the most common type of locomotive. Their purchase was done in order to retire the final LRC and FPA locomotives that were still on Via's roster as they were reaching the end…
The Siemens Charger locomotives were ordered in December 2018, following the conclusion of an RFQ and RFQ for a new Corridor Fleet. The $989 Million order includes 32 trainsets to replace the entire Corridor fleet. On May 26, 2021, the final livery was presented in a teaser by VIA Rail.Built at Siemens' factory in Sacramento, California, the first unit was…
Ordered by Via Rail in the early 1980s, those units were ordered to retire most F-units serving outside of the Corridor. These locomotives are still being used to this day along most routes offered by Via, including its longest current route, The Canadian.Developed by EMD for the North American passenger market, it was based on the GP40-2 freight switcher and…
Originally acquired by CN and CP, the Montreal Locomotive Works built F-Units were the main locomotive power for Via Rail following its formation. As such, they were a common sight on long-distance services, such as the Canadian and The Super Continental.Developed by the Electromotive Division (EMD) of General Motors, the F-Units started production in 1939 and saw various types under…
Initially ordered by Canadian National, the LRC trainsets would be the first brand-new sets owned by Via Rail as delivery started in 1981. Developed by MLW (later Bombardier Transports), Dofasco and Alcan, the LRC (Light, Rapid, Comfortable / Leger, Rapide et Comfortable) was designed to offer cost-effective, high-speed, and reliable service along the corridor, replacing the troubled fleet of Turbotrains…
Inherited from Canadian National, the UAC TurboTrain (branded as Turbo by CN to distinguish from "regular" train service) is the only locomotive used by Via Rail that was not powered by Diesel. Instead, they rely on a gas turbine to produce both the electricity and tractive effort required by the trainsets. At the time, it was meant to be a…
Before the creation of VIA Rail Canada in 1977, passenger rail services were provided by the two main railways of Canada, Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) using their respective railways and equipment. However, the 1960s saw a sharp decrease in the number of passengers, making those services unprofitable to their respective providers (at the time, both CN and…
